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Afeka Journal of Engineering and Science Second Issue, October 2020 [email protected] Chief Editor: Dr. Kuti Shoham Scientific Editor: Dr. Yaron Cohen Tzemach Linguistic Editor: Ran Cohen Produced by the Marketing and Communication Unit Afeka Academic College of Engineering Cover design: Yael Shumer Design and formatting: Nilly Amir-Sagi Afeka Tel Aviv Academic College of Engineering Mivtza Kadesh St., Tel Aviv 38 Afeka.ac.il Table of Contents Editors’ Preface 5 President's Opening Remarks 7 1. Doron Avital Bismarck with an iPhone: The Future of the Age of Reason 9 2. Ronen Bar-El Corona, Science and Regulation: An Economist’s View 23 3. Omer Beck Heaven Help: Civilian Aviation During the Covid-19 Crisis 31 4. Sharon Geva Concrete and Flowers: The Public Image of Engineer Prof. Rachel Shalon 37 5. Sharon Gordon The Technological Revolutions of Money: How We Learned to Count and Love the State 45 6. Idan Militscher Technology, Sexuality and Online Sexual Therapy 55 7. Yossi Rosenwaks and Arnon Bentur Engineering Education in the 21st Century 65 8. Gabi Shafat Critical Thinking and Creativity in Engineering Education 73 9. Galit Wellner Philosophy of Digital Technology 79 10. Itzik Yosef The Story of the Clock: How It Was Discovered that the Earth's Rotation Slows 87 | 4 | Editors’ Preface Dear readers, The coronavirus crisis burst into our lives in Israel in the spring of 2020 and changed them in one fell swoop. The higher education system in Israel switched to online teaching within a few days and adapted the nature of studies to the demands of social distancing. This move necessitated mental flexibility, technological organization, development of teaching methods, development of assessment means and so on. We believe that the success of the academy in Israel deserves all praise, in light of its admirable coping with the complex reality that has been forced upon us, which clearly indicates the high quality of the academic and administrative staff in colleges and universities throughout the country. The papers that are featured in the second issue of the multidisciplinary Afeka Journal were written during the coronavirus crisis. Some of them reflect the effects of the crisis in various areas in which engineering is a direct factor. Thus, for example, Prof. Yossi Rosenwaks and Prof. Arnon Bentur write about the expected and required change in the training of engineers in the coming years. Captain Omer Beck writes about the civil aviation industry’s handling of the worst crisis in the history of airlines. Dr. Idan Militscher talks about how psychological therapies, especially sexual therapies, are performed online. Dr. Ronen Bar-El discusses the question of the effectiveness of separating the authorities regulating drugs and vaccines, while the race is on to find a vaccine for Covid-19. Inevitably, our new associative space affects the way we read the rest of the papers in the current issue. For example, Dr. Itzik Yosef talks about the need for causal theories as opposed to statistical models to provide accurate predictions about the future. Dr. Gabi Shafat emphasizes the importance of critical and creative thinking and self-study in the world of engineering. Dr. Doron Avital writes about the Trump phenomenon as a reference point for examining the liberal order of a “flat world”. Dr. Sharon Geva talks about women in the world of engineering through the story of Rachel Shalon, who was the first woman to reach the rank of professor at the Technion. Dr. Sharon Gordon shows how the evolution of money has happened through technological revolutions. Dr. Galit Wellner reveals the process we all experience in our relations with technology, in which technology directs us rather than the other way. We are at the beginning of a new academic year, 2020-2021. The second wave of the pandemic is hitting Israel and other countries around the world, and although we hear the occasional news about progress being made in finding a vaccine for the virus, it seems that it will be quite some time before we get through the crisis. The hardship, complications and suffering of people around the world and in Israel notwithstanding, the crisis we are experiencing has forced us all to rethink our lives and act creatively to push through it. This is the finest hour of academia in Israel. We hope you enjoy your reading, Dr. Kuti Shoham – Chief Editor Dr. Yaron Cohen-Tzemach – Scientific Editor Mr. Ran Cohen – Linguistic Editor | 5 | | 6 | Opening Remarks I am both proud and excited to preface the second issue of the Afeka Journal of Engineering and Science. The Israeli engineer is the true force behind the success of Israeli industry and specifically the high-tech industry. In order for the country to maintain its international status in the field, grow its economy and expand its industry, there is a need for excellent engineers at the forefront of technological research and development. The coronavirus crisis has made clear to the world just how crucial – and even life-saving – engineers can be in a crisis as complex as a global pandemic. As an institute for higher education responsible for educating the next generation of engineers, we have an obligation toward the personal and professional development of each and every one of our students. In addition to being up-to-date with the latest scientific and engineering knowledge, new graduates integrating into the workforce are required to demonstrate a variety of personal skills such as multidisciplinary teamwork, self-learning, effective communication, critical thinking and creativity. At Afeka, we place an emphasis on equipping our graduates with the skills they need for successfully integrating into the industry, conducting research and development, and for becoming well-rounded individuals who contribute to society. An awareness of the strong impact engineers have on our lives and of the vital skills modern engineers are required to demonstrate, has long led us to initiate a comprehensive cross-organizational transformation in the educational process we provide our students. The change is evident in our updated curricula and learning outcomes, pedagogy and evaluation methods, restructured learning and work spaces, wide range of extra- curricular activities offered Afeka students, and in the open dialogue we have created with the Israeli industry and education system. The Coronavirus crisis threatened to completely disrupt academic life in Israel and around the world, but at Afeka we also view it as an opportunity for growth and innovation. As the crisis unfolded, like all academic institutes, we were forced into distance teaching virtually overnight. It soon became clear however, that online courses should not just be mirrored versions of frontal lectures. Successfully dealing with the crisis meant that we needed to cultivate a unique learning experience that combines synchronous and asynchronous learning, as well as frontal and online learning. It is this line of thinking that led to the birth of the blended pedagogy used at Afeka. The way we view engineering education at Afeka is consistent with our ability to cope with the crisis, and it can even be said that we are now making changes that will affect Afeka for years to come. Yet, with all this being said, our main mission – educating excellent engineers with the knowledge and skills required in the modern workforce – stands firm. We will continue to see every challenge as an opportunity for development and growth, and are already preparing for the “day after” in order to ensure that our uniqueness as a forward- facing academic institution for higher education is maintained and reinforced. This year, Afeka College of Engineering will be celebrating its 25th anniversary. Since its establishment, we have built an exceptional, vibrant and reputable academic institution. The college has worked, and continues to work, at expanding scientific and technological knowledge, and its faculty and staff are infused with motivation and ready to face any challenge or change with resolution and determination. Throughout the 2020-21 academic year we will make every effort to leverage the changes that have taken place. We will find ways to encourage and adapt our lively and contemporary campus atmosphere to the circumstances of the time; and the experience we have gained from distance teaching will help us reformulate | 7 | pedagogical methods in ways that incorporate effective, motivating and inspiring teaching – whether on campus, on-line or a hybrid of the two – so that our students are able to interact, participate, learn and most importantly, become the kind of engineers that desire to change the world. Open cross-disciplinary dialogue is an important part of any process. There is no single correct way to educate engineers, and in uncertain times such as these, the exchange of opinions and ideas is more important than ever – educators, students and industry professionals – each with their own point of view and valid contribution. This is also the basis for the Afeka Journal of Engineering and Science. It provides us with a channel for voicing our opinions and sharing our experiences. The publication of the journal is not only an academically significant achievement for the college, but also a personal achievement for all its authors and contributors, who invested great time and effort into researching, writing and editing, even during such an unusual and difficult year. My utmost gratitude and appreciation to all. Pleasant reading, Prof. Ami Moyal President Afeka – Tel Aviv Academic College of Engineering | 8 | Bismarck with an iPhone: The Future of the Age of Reason Doron Avital Doron Avital holds a Ph.D. in Logic and Philosophy from Columbia University in the City of New York (2004). He held key positions in the IDF Intelligence, culminating in the position of Chief-Commanding-Officer of Israel’s most distinguished elite unit (1992-4).
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